DoJ Hosts Roundtable on Lawtech's Impact on Hong Kong's Legal Sector

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech

The Department of Justice (DoJ) today (June 12) held the first round of LexGoTech Roundtable, engaging legal professionals from the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Small and Medium Law Firms Association of Hong Kong to explore the opportunities and challenges brought about by lawtech and artificial intelligence. The President of the Law Society of Hong Kong, Mr Roden Tong, also attended to support and delivered a speech to encourage the sector to actively participate in and promote the application of lawtech.

During the roundtable, participants exchanged views on the risks associated with the use of lawtech and discussed how to embrace the era of artificial intelligence through policies, hardware and software upgrades, and capability building. Member of the Consultation Group on LawTech Development and Executive Director of LITE Lab@HKU of the University of Hong Kong, Mr Brian Tang, shared the latest developments in the application of lawtech and artificial intelligence in legal services. LITE Lab@HKU is a new interdisciplinary and experiential programme led by the Faculty of Law and the Department of Computer Science of the University of Hong Kong, aimed at fostering the integration of law, innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. Members of the Consultation Group, Ms Stephanie Siu, Mr Jonathan Voo, and Ms Sharyn Ch'ang, also participated in the roundtable and guided the group discussions.

The Deputy Secretary for Justice and Chairman of the Consultation Group, Dr Cheung Kwok-kwan,said that the legal sector in Hong Kong is welcoming a new era, with lawtech reshaping the delivery of legal services. He said that lawtech will strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Hong Kong's legal professional services and solidify the city's position as the centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.

The DoJ established the Consultation Group earlier this year, comprising representatives from the legal and dispute resolution sector, law schools and experts on lawtech applications, to explore ways to promote the integration of legal services and lawtech in Hong Kong, Dr Cheung added.

He also noted that, to further enhance the sector's understanding of the application of lawtech, the DoJ organised the roundtable following the Consultation Group's recommendations and plans to hold a series of related events this year. In the long term, the DoJ will promote the connection between lawtech service providers and legal practitioners, enhance the capabilities of legal professionals in lawtech, and disrupt traditional work models in the legal sector to create an ecosystem conducive to the development of lawtech in Hong Kong.

Dr Cheung also said that the DoJ has been sparing no effort to promote lawtech and support the development of online dispute resolution and transaction platforms. The DoJ has also launched the LawTech Fund and the Hong Kong Legal Cloud services to subsidise small and medium-sized law firms and chambers in enhancing their information technology capabilities, benefitting over 4 000 local legal professionals to date.

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

DoJ holds first roundtable to promote sector's understanding of lawtech Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

CHP reminds public on precautions against heat stroke during very hot weather

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH) today (July 13) reminded members of the public, particularly those undertaking outdoor activities, to take heed of necessary measures against heat stroke and sunburn in very hot weather.

"The public should carry and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration while engaging in outdoor activities," a spokesman for the CHP said.

"Those engaged in strenuous outdoor activities should avoid beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee and tea, as well as alcohol, as they speed up water loss through the urinary system," the spokesman explained.

"Infants and children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with chronic illnesses such as heart disease or high blood pressure, outdoor/manual workers, and individuals who are overweight are more vulnerable to heat stroke. They should pay special attention," the spokesman added.

The public should adopt the following precautions:

Wear loose and light-coloured clothing to reduce heat absorption and facilitate sweat evaporation and heat dissipation;

Avoid vigorous exercise and prolonged activities like hiking or trekking as heat, sweating and exhaustion can place additional demands on the physique;

Perform outdoor activities in the morning or the late afternoon, if possible;

For indoor activities, open all windows, use a fan or use air-conditioning to maintain good ventilation;

Do not stay inside a parked vehicle; and

Reschedule work to cooler times of the day if feasible. If working in a hot environment is inevitable, introduce shade in the workplace where practicable. Start work slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Move to a cool area for rest at regular intervals to allow the body to recuperate.

​The public should also note the latest and the forecast Ultraviolet (UV) Index released by the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). When the UV Index is high (6 or above):

Minimise direct exposure of the skin and the eyes to sunlight;

Apply a broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 or higher when participating in outdoor activities. Reapply every two hours if you need to stay outdoors for a prolonged period, or after swimming, sweating or towelling off;

While using DEET-containing insect repellents for personal protection against mosquito-borne diseases, apply sunscreen first, then insect repellent;

Seek shade;

Wear UV-blocking sunglasses;

Wear long-sleeved and loose-fitting clothes; and

Wear a wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella.

​If symptoms develop, such as dizziness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath or confusion, rest and seek help immediately, and seek medical advice as soon as possible.

​The public may obtain more information from the DH's Health Education Infoline (2833 0111),heat strokepage andUV radiationpage; the HKO's Dial-a-Weather (1878 200),latestweather report and forecast,UV Indexand weather information forhiking and mountaineering; andpress releasesof the Labour Departmenton precautions against heat stroke for outdoor workers and their employers when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force.